The present invention, relates to an arrangement for controlling the central locking system and anti-theft alarm system for a motor vehicle with at least two doors and a closable and lockable trunk. The doors are automatically lockable or unlockable by a central locking system via lock activation by means of key-activated locks in one pair of doors. The central locking system is controlled by a first group of switching contact on the locks. Accessing of the interior of the motor vehicle is monitored by an anti-theft alarm system, an alarm readiness of the anti-theft alarm system being capable of being activated by the switching contacts of the first group of switching contacts during locking, and being capable of being deactivated during unlocking. The triggering of an alarm by the alarm-ready anti-theft alarm system takes place by means of at least one switching contact, which is changed from its inactive into its active condition, of a second group of switching contacts which records the accessing of the vehicle or its unauthorized use. The alarm readiness of the anti-theft alarm system is indicated by flashing of an electro-optical indicating element in the locking buttons of the vehicle doors.
A motor vehicle with a closable and lockable trunk and at least two doors which can be automatically locked and unlocked by means of a central locking system via an activating of a lock by means of key-activated locks is shown in German Patent Document DE 88 46 369 U1. The central locking system is controlled by a first group of switching contacts on the locks. An anti-theft alarm system monitors access to the interior of the motor vehicle. An alarm readiness device of the anti-theft alarm system is activated by the switching contacts of the first group of switching contacts during locking and is deactivated during unlocking. By means of second switching contacts, which register an accessing of the vehicle or its unauthorized use, a triggering of an alarm takes place by means of the alarm-ready anti-theft alarm system.
German Patent Document DE 38 21 561 A1 shows an arrangement for the visual indicating of the readiness of a vehicle alarm system. For this purpose, an electro-optical indicating element, which generates a flashing signal when the anti-theft alarm system is switched to be alarm-ready, is inserted into at least one locking button of a lock of a vehicle door. The indicating element, which is constructed as a light emitting diode, is operated in the pulsed mode with a no-pulse period that is relatively long in comparison to the flashing pulse.
A user-identifying control and safety device for a vehicle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,225 in which an alarm system for a vehicle is disclosed that can be activated by means of a remote control unit. Also, a central locking system arranged in the vehicle can be activated by means of the remote control unit. The alarm system monitors the opening condition of the engine hood, the trunk and the vehicle doors as well as the vehicle itself with respect to impacts, movements or breaking glass.
In the case of the above-described systems, it is possible that, in the event of a malfunctioning or a partial malfunctioning of the central locking system, the alarm system and its function indicating will nevertheless be activated and the alarm readiness will be indicated although possibly one or several doors or other openings of the motor vehicle may not be properly locked.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a motor vehicle with a central locking system and an anti-theft alarm system in which an operating condition of the central locking system and of the anti-theft alarm system is reliably recognized and indicated.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which provides an arrangement for controlling a central locking system and an alarm system for a motor vehicle with at least two doors having locks and locking buttons. The arrangement comprises a central locking system for automatically locking and unlocking the doors via a lock activation by means of the lock in at least one of the doors, and a first group of switching contacts on the locks of the doors and which is coupled to the central locking system, the central locking system being controlled in response to signals from the first group of switching contacts. An anti-theft alarm system monitors accessing of an interior of the motor vehicle, an alarm readiness of the anti-theft alarm system being capable of being activated by the switching contacts of the first group of switching contacts during locking of the doors, and is capable of being deactivated during unlocking of the doors. A second group of switching contacts, coupled to the anti-theft alarm system, records accessing and unauthorized use of the vehicle, with a triggering of an alarm by the alarm-ready anti-theft alarm system taking place by a change from an inactive condition to an active condition of at least one switching contact of the second group of switching contacts. An electro-optical indicating element is provided in at least one of the locking buttons which indicates alarm readiness of the anti-theft alarm system by flashing. A third group of switching contacts monitors a locking condition of the locks of the vehicle. A control device, coupled to the first, second and third groups of switching contacts, determines an operating condition of the central locking system and of the anti-theft alarm system, the control device controlling both the central locking system and the anti-theft alarm system, this control device receiving inputs from the first, second and third switching groups of contacts and differentiating between at least three operating conditions. The operating conditions are: anti-theft alarm system deactivated or defective (first operating condition), anti-theft alarm system activated and locks of the vehicle properly locked (second operating condition), and anti-theft alarm system activated and locks of the vehicle not properly locked (third operating condition). The control device causes the electro-optical indicating element to indicate one of the operating conditions by visually distinguishable flashing signals.
The principal advantages of the invention are that the operating condition of the central locking system and of the anti-theft alarm system is determined by a control device that is common to both systems and this operating condition is indicated by means of visually distinguishable flashing signals by means of electro-optical indicating elements in the door locking buttons. In this case, differentiations are made between at least the following operating conditions:
anti-theft alarm system deactivated or defective; PA1 anti-theft alarm system activated and vehicle locked properly; PA1 anti-theft alarm system activated and vehicle not locked properly.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.